Coin-collecting appliance.



No. 859,549. PATENTED JULY 9, 190,7.

-w. w. DEAN. A l com COLLECTING APPLIANCE.-

APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN. 14, 1902. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

MQW/wee?.

PATENTBD JULY 9, 1907.

W. WpDEAN.

G01N COLLECTING APPLIANGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1902.

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lll////////////////////////// No. 859,549. PATENTBD JULY 9. 1907.

K W. w. DEAN. l G01N COLLECTING APPLIANGE.

\ APPLIOATION FILED-JAN. 14, 1902.

..7, MM Z m m UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM W. DEAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO"WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY. OFHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A GOBBORATlONOF ILLINOIS.

com-COLLECTING APrnIANoE.

YSpecification of Letters Patent.v

Patented July 9,1907.

lApplication' led January-14,1902. Serial No. 89.663.

i Be it known thatul, WILLIAM W. DEAN, a citizen o f the -United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement .in Coin-Collecting A pl' pliances,`l(Gase 42,) 'of which thefollo'wing isfa full, clear,vconcise, and exact description. 'My invention relates to toll apparatus for telephone exchanges, and rits `object is to provide improved' mechanism and circuits by which the surrender of a com ,by the subscriber may be made necessary niamxallycperited.bythe subscriber after he is actu; `allypnt in comxnunicationwith thealled party, to

transfer the coin` from 'then temporaryy 'receiver-.ato the F cashbox. 'I he merepreliminary'or tentativedposit of the coin-'in -thereceiveris sufficient to transmitA the signal and gain the` attention of thelcentraloce oper; ator, but since the coinj is maintained 'accessible tothe snbscriber, he may atV any time before the operation ofthe transferring mechanism Withdraw thesaid coin.

1 The toll apparatus which permits this' isof consider- 'able advantage, since if the line is out of'order, or ii the desiredconnection cannot be obtained, the subscriber canl take back his coin independent of any action on the part of the central ofiice operator. But in order tov compel the transfer oi the coin to the cash box when the desired connection has'beenbbtained, .I'pi'vide blocking mechanism, as, for instance, -a'short circuiting switch, which lmay'be actuated through the lagency of apparatus at the central office to render themsubstation telephone inoperative until said blocking mechanism has been reversed dor counteracted, and restoring mechanism is arranged to be operated in the trans- `fer of the coin to the cash box, so that thesubscriber is' enabled to restore his telephone apparatus to operative condition by actuating the mechanism which transfers the coin.` v v A signal may be arrangedto be displayed at the substation simultaneously with the .operation of the blocking mechanism, so that `the subscriber on 'seeing the signal will know that the desired connection has been obtained and that he has only to actuate his tolldevice in ord er to obtain complete use or" his telephone.`

-I- will-describe my invention particularly,b'y referg lenire to the accompanying drawingannd the* several'l A features and combinations which I regard as novel will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a'vertical sectional elevation oi the toll box, with the coin-carrier in its normal idle condition; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the mechanism in the interior `ofl the box, the upper part of the coinrecciver'being lcut away to disclose parts lying below; Fig. S 'is a ver. tical sectional View on line 34-3 oi Fig. 2, looking `in and 6 are sectional olevationssimilar to Fig. 1, but showing the coin-carrier and associated partsin the positions which theywould assume at different stages extending from a substation to' a central oiiice, the system being organized'and equipped in accordance Withmy`invention.

4the substation.

getheras shown in Fig.. l, said parts being normally locked together, but adapted to. be opened out when unlocked, to permit access to the interior of the box. The coin-carrier bwithin the box comprises a vertical chute, rectangular in cross-section, with a plate b at the top fitting closely. against the under side of the top of the box, and adapted to slide to and fro in tracks a a. A plunger c is mounted on the 4forward edge of the coin-carrier and projects out through the front of the box, carrying upon its end a button by which it may `be' pressed in to move the coin-carrier. The plate b is dished as shown, so that a coin held in the upper part of the chute may readily be grasped and removed, if desired. `n oval hole is cut in the top of the toll box, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, with which hole the dished portion of the plate registers when the coin- -carrier is in its normal position. i y

A cash box is provide the lower part of the toll box, underneath the 4'coin chute, and has a slot' cut in its top registering with the opening of the chute, so that a coin released from the chute will fall into the cash box.

Two coin-stops d d'1 are provided in association with the'chute, formed upon the upper and lower ends, relv spectively, of a Ivertica rocking-lever d which is pivoted in its center to ears formed on lthe side of' the coin an opposite direction from the View oi Fig. l; Figs. 4,

Corresponding letters of reference indicate the same The box a is made in two parts which are hinged top chute. The coin chute has holesjcut in its side wall, through which holes-the stops d d'z are adapted to bev entered by the lever d, marred a. falling coin. The lev 'ver-d vis normally -heldfby mednssshich I shall pres-f in the operation oi the device, a portion of the mechanism of the toll box being omitted for clearness; Fig." 7 is a transverse section on line 7-7` oi Fig. 2; and v Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a telephone toll line.

cannot be pushed down the chute furtherthan this' stop. When the 'lever is released', it is moved` bya spring d, the upper stop d being withdrawn from the chute andthe lower stop d2 interposed therein, thus releasing a coin which may be held at the top of the chute, allowing it to fall as far as the bottom, and therel stopping it until the lever is rocked back again, where-v upon the coin will vbe released and fall'into the cash box. It will be seen that as long as the lever d is in the position illustrated in Fig. 7 (also in Figs. l, 2 and 3) a coin, although placed in the upper Vend of the chute,

may be taken out again by the subscriber if he wishes; but as soon -as the lever is released and changes its position, the coin will fall down the chute beyond the reach of the depositor; not, however, immediatelyv fpassinglout, of thi;4 chute into the cashbox, but being detained at the lower end by the stop (l2, as described.

A spring e, shown inFigs. 3 and 8,/ is'mounted upon but insulated from 'the coin chute, and carries a pin eA upon-its end which normally projects-within the coin chute in position tofbe engaged by a coin held. irr the upper part ofthe chute :by the'stop 'li/. ThusV when a coinis inserted in the chute its-serves to complete electricalconnect'ion from the spring ete the metallic framework of the toll box.

A pair of springs f f 2 is mounted'n the edge of the coin chute, which springs are normally insulated from one another. The spring f2, however, carriesa studv or pin f upon its end,vwhich projects into the coin-chute near the bottom,in position to be engaged' by a coin held by the .lower stop PJ The coin pushes the spring i f 2 into contact with spring f, making an electrical c'onnection between them. The spring e and the-spring f are electrically connected, and the spring f 2 is mounted directly upon the metallic coin chute in electrical con'- nection therewith. "In other words, the contacts controlled by spring eand by spring f, respectively, are

connected in multiple. l

I will now proceed to describe with reference to Figs.'

i l, 4, 5 and 6 the means which-I have provided for rock-` ing thelcver d in and out to interpose one or the other of the stops cl/ d"l in the coin chute.I The-upper portion of the lever d is formed with a projecting shoulder d, Y

which is beveled as shown, and a cam g, pivoted to the coin chute, is adapted to engage said beveled shoulder and thus force the upper end of the lever in, carrying the stop d into the coin chute. 'lhe cam 0, however', may be rotated to release the lever d, whereuponlxghe spring d" (shown in Fig. 7) mounted uponvthe coin' chute underneath the lever, will force the upper end of said lever outward, thus withdrawing the stop d from the coin chute and interposing the otherstop d zjat the lower `endl thereof. --2 u i .@.vv l 'In order to rotatethe cam q and also 4to furnish stops'l for limiting the movement of the sliding coin carrier,

vhavefprovided thecarn o with two lever-arms g g', veach" carrying upon its end a pin 'projecting horizontally, as'

shown in Fig. 7,. A eanrplate h is provided, as shown, having cam surfaces upon which the pins carried by the lever armsg` y are adapted to ride, whereby as the coin-carrier is moved to and frojthe cam q isrotated or rocked; on its pivot to V'move thef'stop lever dat the proper time. Athird lever arm g3 is'p'rovide'd for the II have-'indicated a pali' oipliigsand their lplug-c cam g',`-said lever arm also havinga pin on its end adapted to'engage the cam 'plate h. This third lever arm g3, however, has no active part in the movingvof thev cam, but servesas a stopte limit'lthe movement of the coinfcarrier, in a manner which" I shall hereafter de- ;scribe.' .f'

Two springs i i are attached to the coin-carrier and anchored; upon the tollbox, as shown,'.which tend to" yieldingly maintain the coin-carrier in the position shownl in Fig.`1 and toreturn it to this position when released, after being pushed in.

A detent k normally engages a pin k mounted on the side of the coin chute, asshown'ii Fig. 2, and prevents A the coin` carrier from being moved unless the detent is raised. v` I g() A polarized electromagnet l is-mounted in the toll box-at the side'of the coin-carrier, asjshown most clearly in Figs. `1 and 2. A signal arm l is mounted upony the'armatin'e 'oi said electromagnetfaiid carries upon its'e'nd an indicator .or target l2,- which is adapted to -be displayed -in an opening of the toll boic, as shown diagrammatically' in Fig. 8.' The arr'n l rests upon a pin k2 carried by the pivoted detent 1:, so maintaining Y the detent in engagement with the pin 'lc/'mounted en, the coin chute. The det-ent k isprovided'with a counter-balance which is adapted towraise'the detent u `from thepin c, 'when said `detent isfrelieved from thel pressureio'r' the arm Z." v u i,

A pair of contacts m m isas'sociated with the ariiiay ture'of the electromagn'et land said contacts'are adapt-v A95 ed to be closed together when the magnet rocks its armature. 'Y-

Contact springs n n, which are normally in engage-' lment with each other, are arranged to be separatedbyi;y

tact spring n" carries an insulating stud'which is iii-'a1 position to be struck bythe edge'of the coin-carrier, so

that the spring is thus pushed back and breaks le'ngagef ment with the other spring 1t. i

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated diagrammatically theeircu'its and apparatus ofatelephone line equipped with l Amy improv'edptoll apparatus, a portion o the central` office switching mechanism' *beingv also shown; The line extends in two ylimbs 9 10 from the substation to ay Y springjack dat the exchange switchboard. The limb 9, is extended through vthe contacts ofthe usual cut-oitl relay and through the winding'o'f the line relayvo tothe` free pole of the grounded 'central office battery line signal .lamp pf is shownin a local circuit controlled limbs l0'and`9 of the telephone linegfand alsovhasjthe i' usual test ring or third Contact', 'fwhicfh is connected to i earth through the winding of thecu't-o relay,"l

for makingconnectionwith the line each ofi p1 having' the* usual tipa'n'd i'i-in ibctsffw 'united with the corresponda@ ma a -tffhe 'nr `plug by vconductors ll-'lwlii'c l of the usual' repeating coilfv 'Ihave'shown l p connected in the' bridge 'offers' p1'gcrr`ci1itgttaethe windings of the repeatingcih tis understoo' i, of coursey that in aceordaneewith'the usual single central battefy.y 'is preferably yemployed, V 1.cou-

the coin carrier b when it ispushed cle'ar in.' Th'e'con- 10Q by the relayo. "lh'e sprin'gjack o has theusual short 1,15 L, and long line springs, which are connected withthe i nected with the several lines and also with the several l operators plug circuits; but as is usual for clearness oi illustration two separate batteries are shown, which are both marked with the same reference letter p, because one and the same battery' is referred to.

A switch s is provided for controlling the connection.

ofthe conductors leadingfirom the answering plug t to the battery p. The circuit is normally completed as shown in the drawing, b'ut when the key sis depressed,

it will be seen that both conductors 12v13 leading to the tip and ring contacts of the answering plug,will 4be connected in multiple Awith the free pole of the battery, cohductor 12 being connected directly therewith, and conductor 13 through the resistance lu. The switch s when operated also serves to connect the'conductor 13'v directlyv to earth.

Two relays q and r are provided in the conductors 12 and 13, respectively, between `theanswering plug 'and the switclrs, so 'that said relays are thus in the path of current from battery p to the subscribers line with which the answering plug may be connected. An electromagnetic trippin'g device 11 is provided for the switch s,

said switch when once depressed being held down until released bythe operation of said tripping device. The tripping magnet is included in a local circuit 14, which is controlled at the front contact of relay qand the back contact of relay 'r,' said circuit being thus coniy pleted only when the relay q is excited and the relay 1' .simultaneously inert. At the-substation the usual Atelephone apparatus,

"which need not be particularly described,"4 is included Tin a bridge of the line controlled by the gravity telechange connection he inserts a coin inthe top of thej:

coin chute and so completes the circuit of the branch 15 4to earth through the-resistance. The line relay o lat the central office is thus excited'by current from'battery pfiowing over limb 9 oi the telephone line to earth at the substation, sothat said line relay is excited and brings about the display of the line signal p. If for any reason the line is out of order, or it the central ollice operator does not respond, the subscriber may simply take back his coin, but ordinarily the operator will observe the signal and will insert' her answering plug.' t in springjack 0 and communicate with the subscriber by telephone in the usual way to learn the number of the subscriber wanted. It is-Iunderstood, of course,

that each plug circuit is'providcd with the usual listening and ringing keys with their accessory apparatus,

f but this has been omitted from .the drawing for clearness.' After the desired connection has been made and the called' party has responded', the operator may depress the blocking switch s, whereby the connection oi the tip of the answering plug with the battery will be reversed, so that both the tip and ring contacts ofv the answering plug will be connected in multiple with the same pole of the battery, 'the resistance u` being also interposed Vin conductor 13 between the relay 1 at the switch s. -The magnet l at the substation is polarized, so that it has up to this point been unaffected by the current owing through it, lbut by the operation of Yand the battery, said conductor 13 being also grounded the switch s the ow of current through the magnet Z at the substation is reversed, current owing out over the tip of the plug to the conductor 10, 1through the I bridge containing the subscriber-s telephone apparatus, which bridge has been closed by the switch'w lto the point where the grounded branch l5 is connected. VHere the current divides, partflowiug to earth throughA the resistance, and the other part owing back through the magnet l, in a reverse direction to the previous fl0w,'over the limb 9, to the ringcontact of the plug,

thence through relay r to' earth at the switch s. A por- -tion of the current frombattery p will, oi course, flow ldirectly from the free polel of the battery p, 'through 4 ,the winding of the induction coil, and through the resistance u to earth; but a suicient portion of the',

current to operatethe magnet l will flow toline, as previously traced'. When theA magnet Z is excited, it"

-closes the blocking switch m m, displays th'sigiial Pand unlocks the toll device, so that the plunger c V may be pushed in. The subscribers telephone is now short-circuited at the switch in' m, so-that he cannot telephone, but the display of the vsignal l2 indicates to him that he has only to press the plunger c' and deposit ythe coin,to restore his telephone apparatus to operative condition. l

Upon the initial movement of the coin chute, the pin upon the-end of the lever g is engaged by a projecting portion of the cam plate It and the cam g is rotated in a contra-clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4, thus releasing the stop lever d. l The spring dif is thus permitted to rock `the lever d upon its pivot, so withdrawin the upperstop d from the coin chute and interposing" the lower stop dl ther-ein. vThe coin, therefore, falls down the chute until itstrikes the lower stop l/where it is held, engaging the pin f caried bythe springfv2 and so forcing said spring into engagement with the [spring f andwrestablishing therelectric circuit which has been momentarily broken whilethe coin dropped' from the upperstop to tlielow'er one. -The parts `are now in the position illustrated in 4. The coin is 'shown' in dotted lines at the-bottom ofthe chute. The subscriber, however, is' compelled to go on and p ush the plunger c in as far as it will go. 4He will be unable to use his telephone until he has pushed`in the plunger far enoughto separate the contacts 'n n.- It will be noted that the stop arm gahas now been swung around, so that the coin chute cannot be returned to its initial pt isition, since upon the retrogression of the, plunger the pin carried upon the end of the arm g3 would strike A -l 1 2 0 the left in Fig. 4. Further retrogresson of-theplunger the` inner end4 of the cam plate 4,shown immediately to would therefore be impossible,- 4so that-the carrier could not be returned completelyto its initial position. In

order to swing this locking lever g3 Aout of engagement, it is necessary i0 push the plunger clear in, as shown inf Fig. 5, and in doing this the contacts n 1i are separated,l as shown. The'n, when vthe plunger-is released, the springs 'i i return the coin 'chute to its initial position, and in returning, the pinV upon the end of the lever g 'strikes a projecting portion of the cam plate-h, a

- shown in Fig. 6, sothatthe cam g is rotated and engages the caml surface .di of lthe lever d, thus rocking the lever to Withdrawthe lowerstop and interpose the upper one.` The coin which was l'iell vby the lower stop is thus released and falls down nto'the cash box. .The rotation of the cam from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position slllown in Fig. 6, itwillbe seen, moves the locking lever arm or stop gi? into a position such that it will no longer prevent the return o i the carrier to the initial position.l In returning,the parts take their original positions, as shown .in Fig. 1. ,l The operationof the plunger c, when ac'oin is in thechute, lthus serves to ground the limb 10 oi theteleplione iine'through the resistance x and simultaneously openthe limb 9 at the switch fn n. The circuit of relay q is .thus coinpletedwhile.relay r is deprived oi current. The local circuit 14containingL the restoring or tripping magnet v at the 'central office,V is thus completed, whereby said magnet is excited and trips the key s, which returns towt's original position, es-v tablishing'the normal connection o the battery' p with the plug circuit. y The instant the contacts n n are separated, the magneti is deprived oi current, so that it allows its armature to fall back, restoring the blocking switch mA m/ ,to its original position. Finally, as the coin chute return-stol its original position, after having l been pushed in, thecoin is released by the stop d2 and is thus transferred to tlie clash box. As soon as the contacts fn, n( are released by the return of the coin chute to its original position, the telephone 'circuit is completed and the subscribers may converse. ,l

Having thus describedhmy invention, l claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent the following:

including a source of current and a signal device at the ,central office, controlled by said contact, a blocking device arrangedt o prevent teleplionic;communication over'the. line, means controlled at the-central otiice for actuating said blocking device, and mechanism actuated in the operation of the coin-transferring mechanism arranged' to counteract saidblocklng device. Y

A2. The combination witha telephone line extending from a substation to a central office, of a toll deviceat the substation having 'a temporary coin receiver, a cash box mechanism arranged for manual operation by the sub-- scriber for transferring the coin-from the `temporary re celver to'the cash box, a switch associated with `said receiver andadapted to be controlled by the coin therein, v

a signal at a distant p ointand electrical means-for actuatlng the same controlled by said switch, a detent arranged to normally prevent the operation of the transferring mechanism, and electrical means arranged to withdraw-` said detent, controlled through the agency of. a switch latthe distant point where thesignal is located..

3.. In uJtoll box for telephonepay stations, the tion witii a manually-operated movable coin-carrier for'l v depositing a coin, sa'id carrier being constructed to retain placed'iherein, :in electric circuit controlled by said switch:

-oontsclffl and a switch adapted to maintain the circuit closed .after the transfer of the coin. Y y

i. The combination with atelephone toll line extendiniz magnet to operate saidv blocking doy' e, and mcchanis'm'nctuated in the movement ot thecoin-ca'rr'ier for counteraobfj ing said blocking device, whereby'the deposit'of acoin by said carrier `restores the operative condition of, thenpparatus. i

, f 5.' The combination ,witha '.telephone, line,A extending fromr'a substation to a central ofiice, ot ya tollbox at .the v 'substation having'a movable con-carrieranil meanfsd'a'ptl ed to move .the same, stops'fcntrollingthe'passage of a coin through said coin-carrier;meansfactuated in themovement oli'. said colncarrler.` to,deposit a coin within thebox 'for operatingfsaid stops, adelectromagnetic switchutor rendering the telephone yapparatii inoperative, a circuit lncludingva source of current orope'ra'tin'g said electro-'l magnetic switch,a switch contact -finthe'toll box controiling the lastmentionedcircuit,v-;and. means actuatedy in moving the carrier to deposita vcoin within thebox for changing the said switch contact, whereby the electromagnetic switch is changed t@ restore the operative condition of -the telephone apparatus bytlie-deposit' of a coin-by' said movable carrier, as set forth. A a 5 6. In a toll box, the combination 'with azvicoin chute adapted to slide to'and fro within thebox a'nd a plunger for reciprocating said coin chute, said'box having' an opening through which a coin maybe insertedinthe chute, of yupper and lower stops associated with the coin-,chute for tion with va manually-movable,coin-carrier,,for depositing' 4a coinwithin the box, ota detent nor-)nl allysp 'movement of said carrier, an' electromagnet'for removing 'said detent, a signaland meansactuatedth'rough'the event-in g the agency ofsaid magnet in-the removal-'"otrthedetent for operating said signal, wherebyL lthe display oflthe signal indicates the release of.thecoin-carrier.- L 8. The` combination with a t'eiep one line lextending from a substationto'acentral oice, of ja toll boxatv the .'substation, a manually-movablecoin-carrier for the toll box for depositing coins thereina detentinormallypreventing the movementof thecoinfcarrergan electromagf,f net, mechanismoperated.thereby `for withdrawing the de- 'tel1t, and a 'blocking device' simultanoiisly actuated through the agency of s'aid magnet, for Ypreventing'telephoniccommunication over the line, andmeanscontrolied from the central*oiiiceforactuating said electromagnet.

9. In a toll box for telephone'paystations, the combinak 'c'oi`n-carrier for depositingl coin'sfth'e'rein; said carrier 'being constructed :tonorinallymaintain a depositedtcon in nu A LIUaccessible.position.of an electricabcoi'itnctassociated with combina- 4 'n therein, n.signal cireclianisrn actuated inthe initial movement of'tli'car'rir' constructed to transfer the .coin fto an inaccessible:partrthe'reot ricontactassociated -Wlth the\,carrier and Vcontrolledby ferred, a contact device controlled i the coin when." transthe4 movement of` ftlic coincarrier, electromagnetic :mechanism controlled :through the joint'a'genc'y of the""twov lastlinentiond contacis, and

dlschargingfmechanismarranged to' trnsfer'the coinrom the carrier into the interiorfot the toILbOx.

11. The combination with a toil boxgur telephone pay iso cate said coi'n-c'rrier, ddetent normally preventng'the movement of the coin carrier, an electromagnet,'and means controlled at the central oice adapted to complete a circuit for the magnet to actuate the same, mechanism op` erated b Y said magnet when energized adapted tov with draw-said detent, a short circuit of the vtelephone apparatus simultaneously completed by said magnet, and co'- tacts included yin the circuit of said magnet opened in the movement of the coin-carrier to dposita, coin in said box; wherey' the" operative condition apparatus is restored By the deposit of a coin by said coin;

carrier. f y

In witness whereof, I, hereunto subscribe my name this 1sth'day of DecemberA3D.'y 1901. l

' WILLIAM W. DEAN.'

Witnesses:

DE WITT C. TANNER', W. W. LEACH.

of 'the telephone 10 

